Baseball Centennial - 1939

Unofficial cancelations:

A-285  -  855-84

June 12, 1939 Ballston Spa, NY

Credited to Carl S Wooley and Carleton Stewart/Saratogian

An article in the newspaper from Saratoga Springs, NY, The Saratogian, stated that H. Carleton Stewart was chairman and Carl S. Wooley was a member of a committee to produce a first day cover for the baseball centennial. The Saratogian, which did commercial printing was most likely the printer of the commemorative envelope. The photo was taken by Wooley, a photographer by trade. Ballston Spa was the birthplace of General Abner Doubleday, and the photo is of his house in Ballston Spa.

More than 150 covers were mailed from Cooperstown and 1,584 mailed from Ballston Spa. Requests for covers came from 26 states, 4 foreign countries, Washington DC and Alaska (which did not become a state until 1959). 22 covers were sent by airmail, and the remainder by regular mail.

The Ballston Spa Baseball FDCs, Norman M. Fox First Days Journal

A-279  -  855-77

St Bonaventure second day cancel, June 13, 1939, St Bonaventure, NY

Baseball...Stamps...Autographs, Elten F Schiller, Hentzell Publications, San Diego 1982 (A-#)

Plant's Encyclopedia of Cacheted F.D.C.s, Vol IX, Mike Mellone, FDC Publishing Co, Stewartsville, NJ 1983 (p855-#)

Baseball Centennial - 1939

A-247 -  855-64  Mayne's Cover Service

color variations: blue, green, red, orange, blue & green, blue & red

unofficial postmarks: Portlandville - blue

Stamford - blue

 

Baseball...Stamps...Autographs, Elten F Schiller, Hentzell Publications, San Diego 1982 (A-#)

Planty's Encyclopedia of Cachets F.D.C.s, Vol IX, Mike Mellone, FDC Publishing Co,

Stewartsville, NJ 1983 (p855-#)

Baseball Centennial - 1939

The above covers are all unlisted in Elten Schiller's book and Planty's catalog

I do not own these covers so I can not inspect them carefully. Although not mentioned on the bay posts, I think these are computer generated based on the photos used and the placement of the art in conjunction with the address on the envelope

any additional information on these would be appreciated

Baseball Centennail - 1939

unlisted Northern States Power Co corner-card

A-202  855-47   

Holland

variations: brown & purple, violet & purple, green & lavender

A-200   855-46a 

Holland

variation: A-2001  855-46b with Phoenix - Connecticut Insurance imprint at bottom

Holland color variation: Green

not in either catalog

A-194 - unknown general purpose cachet,

not listed in Planty's

unlisted general purpose cachet not listed

Baseball...Stamps...Autographs, Elten F Schiller, Hentzell Publications, San Diego 1982 (A-#) 

Plant's Encyclopedia of Cacheted F.D.C.s, Vol IX, Mike Mellone, FDC Publishing Co, Stewartsville, NJ 1983 (p855-#)

some of these covers are internet finds and I do not own them, they are posted for reference purposes

Baseball Centennial - 1939

A-227  -  855-49

Imperial

A-286  -  855-85

unknown

variation of the cover listed in Schiller's book

A-291 unknown - 855-9c F.T. Carter

A-unlisted - 855-9a F.T. Carter

A-292   -   855-90

unknown

Baseball...Stamps...Autographs, Elten F Schiller, Hentzell Publications, San Diego 1982 (A-#)

Plant's Encyclopedia of Cacheted F.D.C.s, Vol IX, Mike Mellone, FDC Publishing Co, Stewartsville, NJ 1983 (p855-#)

Baseball Centennial - 1939

A-116  - 855-7g

Cal-Craft 7 (Frank Pennington)

a series of 8 designs featuring 

1- Abner Doubleday (A-110 : 855-7a)     2 - Honus Wagner (A-111 : 855-7b)

3 - Christy Mathewson  (A-112  : 855-7c)       4 - Grover C Alexander (A-113 : 855-7d)

5- Ty Cobb   (A-114 : 855-7e)       6 -  Walter Johnson (A-115 : 855-7f)

7 - Babe Ruth (A-116 : 855-7g)

1-Abner Doubleday, 2-Honus Wagner, 3-Christy Matthewson, 4-Grover Alexander, 5-Ty Cobb, 6-Walter Johnson, 7-Babe Ruth, 8-Hall of Fame

In an interview with Frank Pennington from FDCS Journal First Days, section Sc.855-Cachets and Cachetmakers - Pennington stated he did not attend the Cooperstown ceremony, but had his covers serviced by Frank Fitts (Cachet Craft covers). The original art was 5-5/8ths inch high. When reduced to less than 2-inches for the cachet, the CHC (California Historical Cachets) located under the diamond became unreadable. Cachets were sold individually with the majority of single covers sold being the Babe Ruth issue

Hand drawn Frank Pennington cachet

 Baseball...Stamps...Autographs, Elten F Schiller, Hentzell Publications, San Diego 1982 (A-#)

Plant's Encyclopedia of Cacheted F.D.C.s, Vol IX, Mike Mellone, FDC Publishing Co, Stewartsville, NJ 1983 (p855-#)

Updated 2022.01.05

Baseball Centennial - 1939

A-195 - 855-42a   

Murray Hart

variations: First Day Cover with straight letters

colors: blue, brown, green, orange, red, slate gray

A-196 - 855-42b   

variation with slant letters

colors: blue, blue & red, green & red

 unofficial postmarks: Delhi- black & red or violet & red

Milford - olive & green

Portlandville - red & silver or orange & silver

These covers are internet finds and used for reference purposes

Baseball...Stamps...Autographs, Elten F Schiller, Hentzell Publications, San Diego 1982 (A-#)

Plant's Encyclopedia of Cacheted F.D.C.s, Vol IX, Mike Mellone, FDC Publishing Co, Stewartsville, NJ 1983 (p855-#)

Baseball Centennial - 1939

Storrs & Bement Co - Hartford

Baseball Centennial - 1939

unlisted  - Hartley Bishop

unlisted - Clarence Reid (?)

unlisted - unknown

A-unlisted - 855-103

unknown

unlisted - Gilbert Brown (first cachet)

A-unlisted - 855-57 

Ed Kee

Washington DC 2nd-Day postmark

Baseball...Stamps...Autographs, Elten F Schiller, Hentzell Publications, San Diego 1982 (A-#)

Plant's Encyclopedia of Cacheted F.D.C.s, Vol IX, Mike Mellone, FDC Publishing Co, Stewartsville, NJ 1983 (p855-#)

 

Baseball Centennial - 1939

 A-122 AR Crocker

855-14 Alfred R Corbett -Blue Goose Antique Shop
variations: black, hand colored

A-123 AR Crocker

855-15 Alfred R Corbett - Blue Goose Antique Shop

 color variations: blue; black hand colored

A-250 Milwaukee Baseball Club - 855-67

unofficial Milwaukee second day cancel

 A-253 Nelson/Fairway - 855-34

A-255 Louis Nix - 855-71

A-unlisted Chambers - 855-10

Baseball...Stamps...Autographs, Elten F Schiller, Hentzell Publications, San Diego 1982 (A-#)
Planty's Encyclopedia of Cacheted F.D.C.s, Vol IX, Mike Mellone, FDC Publishing Co, Stewartsville, NJ 1983 (p855-#)